1. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to a method for providing tops to close pitted fruit, and also a machine for putting this method into practice.
As a most significant example, the invention provides a method for putting pepper tops, from natural pepper, into olives, already stuffed with any type of filling, such as pepper paste, anchovy, etc., although obviously, the invention is applicable to any other type of pitted fruit.
Nevertheless, in order to simplify the following description, this disclosure is going to be made, based on providing pepper tops for closing stuffed olives, whose stones have previously been removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Within the industrial scope in which the invention is to be applied, processes for removing the stones of olives are very well known, and also for stuffing them with anchovy paste, pepper or any other kind of filling; techniques are also known for subsequently "closing" the olives, through the "top" itself.
For obvious reasons, in many cases, it is desirable that the olive be closed with the aid of a "natural pepper top". However, whereas closing it with the actual pulp of the olive is relatively easy, because the pulp has the same consistency as the olive, the use of natural pepper as the raw material has proved impossible until now, as it is a different kind of product then the olive and has very little physical consistency, which makes it extremely difficult to handle.